West Bengal BJP leader Arjun Singh, who has recently crossed over from the TMC, claimed on Tuesday that about 100 Trinamool Congress MLAs would switch over to the saffron party "very soon".
The TMC declined to attach much importance to his statements and suggested him to see a doctor. In the 2016 assembly polls, the TMC won 211 of the 294 seats.
"Around 100 legislators from the ruling party are set to join the BJP. They are in touch with the BJP leaders on a regular basis. Some will join before the elections, the rest after," Singh told reporters.
Reacting to his statement, senior TMC leader Jyotipriyo Mullick said Singh had lost his mind and should go and see a doctor. Singh, the former four-time Trinamool MLA from Bhatpara, switched to the BJP earlier this month and has been nominated as a BJP candidate from the Barrackpore Lok Sabha constituency. He will take on two-time sitting MP and senior TMC leader Dinesh Trivedi.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Youth Congress general secretary Samrat Topadar lodged a police complaint against Singh, accusing him of trying to terrorise voters and local residents of the area.
Apart from Singh, two TMC MPs and several other TMC, Congress and CPI(M) leaders have joined the BJP recently and have been rewarded with party tickets.
The BJP is also trying to woo two senior TMC leaders Sabyasachi Dutta and Sovan Chatterjee into the party. Dutta is the MLA from Rajarhat New Town near Kolkata and Chatterjee is a legislator from Behala East assembly seat.
Chatterjee was an important minister in the Mamata Banerjee cabinet and also the mayor of Kolkata till he quit last November due to "personal problems".
Senior BJP leader Mukul Roy had earlier this month met Bidhannagar Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta at his residence, fuelling speculations that Dutta might switch over to the BJP ahead of the general election.
However, Dutta had later said he is a loyal soldier of the TMC and would not join any other party. But, for the last few days, he has made a few statements, which has kept speculation alive that he might join the BJP. Roy said on Tuesday in Siliguri that Dutta was very much in touch with the BJP.
